Slytherin's Princess
by Nurse K
Summary: How does the change in blood of one character affect Voldemort's rise to power? Hermione Granger is the only daughter of the prestigious and well known John and Helen Granger, pureblood. Together, Hermione and her three best friends Blaise, Pansy, and, of course, Draco, learn to navigate the ever changing wizarding world with prestige and power. - Rating may change
1. Diagon Alley

**All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

"Here come the Weasleys, the literal definition of walking entertainment." Draco Malfoy drawled from her left. Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zambini were sitting at a round table just outside Florean Fortesque's ice cream parlor in Diagon Alley, enjoying a cool treat while waiting for their parents to return from the depths of the ever gloomy Knockturn Alley.

Hermione smirked as Molly Weasley's shriek could be heard from within the store. "Quickly now, everyone pick a small treat to celebrate Ronnie going to school!" She could never get over Molly Weasley's ability to make scene where ever she went, whether it be her lack of respectable clothing, her high pitched screech she calls a voice, or her pigs she deems children.

"A small treat…" Pansy chuckled quietly. "Are they sure they should indulge upon such a delicacy? I mean, that mother hen looks fit to burst and we know their 'patriarch'" Pansy continued with disdain. "Makes little money. Purchasing such a treat as ice cream seems impulsive." She finished sarcastically, as if ice cream was a rare novelty. As it was, all four children had grown up in wealthy, pureblood families and had tasted true delicacies, as Pansy put it, on more than one occasion.

The Weasley children were now running about outside the parlor, attempting to knock each other's treat off the cone before the screeching hen told them to sit and eat respectably, as if they knew the meaning of the word. "Ohh," Hermione grinned mischievously, "here come our parents, this will be true entertainment." She said quietly to her friends, watching the coming disaster unfold. The four children watched as the youngest and only female Weasley threw her arm back in an attempt to keep her brothers from touching her ice cream, only to have it land on an unsuspecting Narcissa Malfoy. Hermione's eyes went wide, she had been hoping for a slight altercation but this would be gold. Not only would the group's parents make the Weasley family's lack of manners known, but the Malfoy's were famous for their revenge, aside from their obvious wealth and power.

Looking over at Draco, she could already see his menacing sneer in place. Lucius had an equally frightening look on his face and combined with Narcissa's gasp of shock and outrage had the Alley silent for at least five feet in each direction, everyone waiting with baited breath. "Oh Narcissa, are you alright?" Hermione's mother Helena fretted while gracefully coming to her side.

"Careful Helen, you never know if those awful children might attack you next. I would hate for you to get hurt darling." Hermione's father warned with a sinister smirk.

"To right you are John. In fact, Cissa, Helen, why don't you and Patricia and Arabella take the children and have them finish their snack outside the café down the street. I don't want any of you near this dangerous bunch and I would hate for the children to be harmed." Lucius continued while staring directly at Arthur Weasley, whose face was slowly growing red with anger. Quickly standing, the four children grabbed their things before gliding to their parents with posture and superiority that came from years of tutoring. With their chins held high, they left with their mothers, pausing only long enough for Draco to slyly sneer, "See you at school, Ronny." Before they made their exit, hearing only spluttering from Ronald, and an angry return about how the whole event was an obvious mistake and that he and his family were far less dangerous than a group of ex-death eaters. Hermione rolled her eyes at the lame comeback that was obviously meant to be hurtful but ended up falling a few yards short of the intended mark. Hermione could hear her Uncle Lucius laugh as she walked.

The group ended up waiting for their fathers and husbands in the Leaky Cauldron as they were finished shopping for now and decided it to be a good time for lunch. The children, still happily eating their ice cream, opted for a simple Butterbeer each and a basket of fries to share. Hermione's mother Helena sat with her Aunt Narcissa, Aunt Patricia (Pansy's mother), and Aunt Arabella. While not actually related, the four families were so close that the children had essentially grown up together with the parents take roles and aunts and uncles. The four children in particular were very close, Hermione and Pansy had a relationship as close as twin sisters and told each other everything. The same could be said about Blaise and Draco, who spent time playing quidditch while the girls did their girly thing. And while together, the four were a tightly packed group, it was very obvious that when provoked, Draco and Blaise were exceedingly protective of the girls. Draco more so of Hermione, the two had grown close when they discovered their mutual love of witty, intelligent banter that often left others in the dust. Blaise was in turn more protective of Pansy whom he had always harbored a crush on, not to mention their affinity with cooking.

"Girls, the ladies and I are going to the restroom to see what we can do to remove the residual stain from Aunt Cissa's dress, why don't you join us to freshen up before the food arrives?" Her mother had come gliding up to their table while the four had been finishing eating. Hermione had a couple more bites of her ice cream and so handed her cone to Draco to hold before standing to join her mother.  
"That's a wonderful idea Mother, let me just remind Draco of something and Pans and I will meet you there." Hermione smiled sweetly at her mother, the picture of innocence. Helena nodded with a smile before whisking the other mothers away. Turning back to the table, Hermione slowly lent towards Draco before whispering in his ear, "Draco, if you take so much as take a lick of my ice cream, I'll make your life hell." Hermione warned in an innocent voice before giving him a friendly peck on the cheek, slipping her arm through Pansy's and gliding towards the restroom.

Draco was left with his mouth slightly agape from shock and Blaise was nearly falling out of his chair with laughter; having received no such warning from Pansy who had already finished her snack.

Smirking devilishly at Pansy, Hermione reveled in the feeling of being feared. Draco always had such a strong aura of power that every now and then, Hermione couldn't help but remind him that she was just as deadly as he.

When the girls entered the restroom, they found all four mothers speaking in quiet whispers, Aunt Cissa's stain long gone as were any other occupants of the room. Helena caught sight of the girls first and cut off the other women before they revealed their topic. "Ah hello girls, come and wash your hands real quick and we will return to the table together." She said with a small grin. While many people believed purebloods to be ice cold and heartless, Hermione and her family and friends were simply above average at hiding their emotions. In order to protect yourself, her father once taught her, you can never let you opponent know what you are truly thinking. From that day one, only her friends and family truly knew what Hermione was thinking, and only because she told them. Draco was the only one who could see past her mask, a skill that Hermione could return and had brought the two closer together.

Hermione and Pansy quickly and quietly cleaned their hands, straining their ears in an attempt to pick up what their mothers and aunts were saying. Unfortunately, they had ended their whispering when the girls entered and were merely discussing this season's fashion. Looking at each other from the corners of their eyes, they made the silent agreement to discuss the occurrence with the boys once they returned home.

When the two had finally finished, the six women left the bathroom to find the husbands and fathers had returned and Hermione's ice cream had melt all over the table at Draco's dutiful refusal to take a lick. Hermione stopped to give her father a hug and ask how their 'conversation' went. "Hello my princess, I do hope none of those filthy Weasley's touched you and ruined your beautiful dress. You look so beautiful in it." John spoke to his daughter with a flicker of love and warmth in his eyes.

"No daddy, my dress is perfectly fine. Although, Uncle Lucius, what that terrible girl did to Aunt Cissa's dress is horrible, I hope you didn't make them pay for it?" Hermione responded, looking at her uncle with hope and admiration, a glimmer of sinister shining through as well. "If they had to pay for such a thing, they wouldn't be able to attend Hogwarts and then we would be out of such easy entertainment." Hermione finished in a pout. Her three friends burst into laughter at her comment and the adults chuckled, Lucius smirked while easing her fears and her father gave her a brief hug to show his pride in her wit. Kissing her father's cheek, Hermione walked off to resume her seat with her friends, rewarding Draco with another kiss on the check before ordering a nearby maid to clean up the mess, leaving Draco with pink checks and a maid covered in sticky ice cream.

It wasn't until late that night, after having dinner together, that the four friends could talk. Their families had gathered at Malfoy Manor to eat and finalizing plans for when the children would leave for Hogwarts tomorrow. Gathering in the library, they sat in their favorite set of couches, a fire blazing beside them, Pansy and Hermione relayed their journey to the bathroom. Upon finishing the rather short tail, Hermione looked over at Draco, who was sitting on the couch next to her. "Well, obviously they're planning something, the question is why they're hiding it from us." Draco mused quietly.

"Perhaps it's something at Hogwarts, I'm sure if they were planning something that involved the school they would want it to either be a surprise or, it involves things we're not old enough to be a part of yet." Hermione responded with a measured look, her reference to exploits in the name of the Dark Lord thinly veiled. All four had grown up hearing stories of his greatness, and how they hoped someday for his return or for a successor at the very least, to continue the fight for their anti-muggle ideals.

"What do we do then?" Blaise asked quietly from the opposite couch.

Hermione glanced at Draco for a second before responding, "We keep are eyes and ears out for suspicious behavior, and subtly report back with findings." All was quiet after that. It wasn't until at least five minutes later that Hermione broke the silence, "Ugh, I can't sit still and think about this any longer, I'm going to walk about the manner to burn some energy from dinner off before going to bed. I'll see you all tomorrow, shall we sit together on the train?" She asked quietly while rising to her feet.

"Of course we shall." Draco said in a tone that broke no argument. "I'll join you on your walk, though, Hermione. My mind needs settling as well." Hermione merely nodded her head in reply before sending a smile at Blaise and Pansy and walking with Draco out the door.

Walking quietly down the hall, Draco grasped Hermione's left hand with his left, curling it around the crook his right arm, before giving her a small smile and continuing their walk. Hermione had a slight blush and a please smile across her face. While she and Draco had always been friends, her romantic inclination towards him had only recently begun and she had, so far, kept it a secret. Draco's actions, while many may have over looked, simply showed that he cared deeply for her, for women only hold the arm of men they have ties to, and Hermione was currently holding Draco's arm. Not even Pansy and Blaise had done this yet, Hermione thought, and they are so obvious about their feelings for each other.

"Mia," Draco said quietly, breaking Hermione out of her inner monologue. "I'm worried about this year." He continued, still looking straight ahead, down the hallway.

"I am too," Hermione replied while watching his impassive face, before turning her gaze down the hall as well. "Something feels off, and I don't think it has anything to do with us going to Hogwarts. I can't remember the last time our parents purposely kept information from us." She said thoughtfully. "Perhaps if we bring it up at breakfast tomorrow, they may give us information to think on." Hermione suggested as the rounded the corner and began walking down the stairs, Draco moving his left hand to grip her hand resting on his arm to give her more support and balance.

"Perhaps," he mumbled quietly. Neither noticed the group standing just off the bottom of the stairs. Hermione and Draco's parents, as well as a Professor Snape of Potions at Hogwarts, were watching as Draco ensured Hermione's safety down the stairs and Hermione as she blushed a deeper red each step she took. None of them could remember the last time Draco had treated something so delicately and protectively, nor did Hermione have her emotions so obviously on display for any and all to see. Helena and Narcissa shared a glance, barely containing their glee, for neither had failed to notice Hermione's arm that was wound around Draco's. Both knew exactly what this meant and they were already planning their weddings. While the children may only be eleven, it was quite obvious that these feelings ran deep and both families hoped they remained through the future.

When Hermione and Draco finally reached the bottom step, Draco let go of Hermione's hand, though ensured it remained where it was resting on his arm, before they both looked up, only to find their respective families smiling widely at them. With one quick glance, they each communicated their strong desire to not talk about their… thing, for lack of a better word, until they had grown much older. Quickly, Hermione's mask was thrown back up, her blush receding quickly and her eyes no longer sharing her deepest secrets, while Draco let her arm drop and asked if she was feeling well in an attempt to play the entire thing off as Hermione needing help going down the stairs without falling. After responding in the affirmative, both children looked back at their parents before Hermione, with one more glance at Draco, asked, "Daddy, is there any chance I can speak with you for a moment?"

Her father smirked before answering, "Of course princess, just let me introduce you to a friend of your Uncle Lucius and I's. This is Professor Snape, Hermione, he is the potions master at Hogwarts." Hermione gave the requisite slight curtsey to her new professor, a show of her understanding of pureblood ways. Her mother had taught her all the names of society that she ought to know and therefore understood that while Snape was merely a half-blood, his prestige in potion making earned him her respect, resulting in a small curtsey. Snape, for his part, bowed back deeply, as was expected when being introduced to a pureblood. Had he been closer, he would have placed a kiss on her hand. As it is, Hermione was glad for the distance, their difference in age and his standing as her professor would have made things exceedingly awkward.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Professor, I look forward to class with you later in the week." Hermione said quietly.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Granger. I have heard of your intelligence by many, and combined with Mr. Malfoy, it has given me hope that there may be a few students worth instructing this year, instead of the bumbling buffoons I am used to dealing with." He replied, sarcasm practically dripping from his mouth. Hermione simply smirked at his rather obvious attempt at humor. It's sad really, Hermione thought, he won't be any fun to play mind games with. He will simply say exactly what he thinks, there's no challenge. One look at Draco and his smirk told her he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Alright, come and walk with me a moment Hermione and ask me your questions. I promise to return her to you in short time Draco." Her father bid her to him while sending Draco a smirk. Blushing just a hint, Hermione began walking down the hallway, slipping her arm into her father's as Draco had done to her at the beginning of their walk.

"Father, I hope you don't find me imprudent, it's just that I heard something, or a rather lack of something, and was hoping you could fill me in on what's missing." Hermione said innocently, widening her sparkling brown eyes as much as she could in the hopes of weakening her father's resolve. This technique only proved effective 50% of the time, but there was no harm in trying. "You see, Pansy and I saw the mother's whispering urgently to each other earlier today in Diagon Alley, but when we moved closer to join them, they immediately stopped and moved on when they noticed us. Normally I wouldn't have though anything of it, but the four families have been together so often that I simply had to draw the conclusion that you were all planning something. Can you please tell me Daddy?" Hermione continued quietly, staring deeply into her father's eyes.

"You, my princess, are too smart and beautiful for your own good." He replied with a wink. "Yes, we are planning something and yes, as I know you have already connected the dots, something is happening at Hogwarts this year." John continued, biding his only and most precious daughter into the window seat they had walked to. "Your aunts, uncles, mother and I recently realized that Harry Potter would be a first year with Draco, Blaise, Pansy, and yourself. We were hoping that his presence at the school may bring the Dark Lord out of hiding, wherever he may be. We have ensured this by setting the base work for a precious artifact to be hidden within Hogwarts. Should the Dark Lord be in a position where he is ill or unable to support himself, this artifact would be able to do so, and having it at Hogwarts would alert us to his location and allow us to help his return to power." While John truly wished to protect the children, most especially his daughter, he also understood the manipulative and cunning qualities all four possessed. Their natural abilities may help the adults pick up on information that doesn't make it outside Hogwarts' hallowed halls.

"I see." Hermione responded simply. "Well Daddy, the four of us have already discussed what you may have been planning and while we didn't come to any conclusions, we did decided to be extra observant at school this year and to write to you with any unusual behavior. Would that be acceptable?" Hermione asked. Wishing deep within her that her father would accept and let her and her friends help. It was Hermione deepest ambition to make her father and mother proud of her, little did she know that she had already accomplished such a task and that the love they shared for their little princess would never diminish, no matter her failings.

"Oh my princess, that would be wonderful. Remember though, your safety comes first, don't do anything dangerous Hermione, please." Her father responded, a proud smile on his face before worry clouded his shining eyes.

"We won't Daddy, I promise." Hermione responded with a blinding smile.

"Very well, let's walk back to your Draco and the family." John stood with a small smirk directed towards his daughter's lightly blushed face. Giving her his arm once more, the two made their way back down the hall. Upon joining the family, Hermione and Draco bid the family good night, kissing their relatives cheeks and giving slight bows and curtseys to Professor Snape who responded in kind. The pair turned around and made their way back up the stairs, standing exactly one foot apart, as propriety demanded, and very aware that all eyes from the crowd below were focused on them.


	2. The Sorting

Chapter 2-

The next morning saw the four friends gathered in the floo room of Malfoy Manor, trunks packed and decked in their designer cloaks. At exactly 10:30 in the morning, all four sets of parents entered the room and they were off in a swirl of green flames and a shout of "Platform 9 3/4."

Gathering on the platform, the group to a few minutes to gather together, before gracefully making their way through families and students. It was a decided fact that there was nothing more annoying that having to walk across the platform on September 1st. With children darting around everywhere, lugging animals with them, parents openly sobbing at the sight of their child leaving once again. It was a very undignified event, for sure. Rolling their eyes, Draco and Hermione looked at each other before sharing almost identical smirks. The shrieks of Molly Weasley could be heard over the commotion and was truly no surprise that the family made a spectacle of themselves everywhere they went.

Approaching an open train door, the family stopped and began saying their goodbyes, in a fashion expected of their wealth and influence. Father's shook hands with sons, and swept their little girls off their feet in tight hugs. Mothers grasped all children in tight hugs and placed kisses on foreheads followed with warnings of being good and earning good grades. Promises of treats to be mailed followed with the threat of ending such a luxury if letters weren't sent in response. John Granger whispered into his daughter's ear before letting her go, "I love you my little princess. Be good for me this year and be careful. I don't want you getting into any danger simply to owl me updates. Your safety and school work come first. I love you." Hermione simply smiled in response, dug her head a little deeper into his neck, and let out a muffled, "I love you too Daddy. I promise."

"All right all of you, on the train! If I don't receive four letters bearing the Slytherin emblem tomorrow you're all being cast out!" Uncle Piero Zambini called with a grin and a wink. The four children let out soft chuckles before making their way onto the train and finding a compartment. The boys made the gallant effort of heaving the girls' trunks onto the shelf overhead before they all sat down, Pansy and Hermione on one side, Blaise and Draco on the other. The whistle blew and train began moving slowly out of the station. The four best friends looked out the window and waved to their parents, who subtly wiped tears from their eyes before taking the arm of their beloved and making their way back to the fire place and flooing home.

* * *

The train ride ended up being long and uneventful. Hermione told the group what her father had instructed her the night before and everyone agreed with continuing their previous plan. Blaise and Draco eventually pulled out a chess set and Hermione and Pansy played a card game before Hermione read her school books and Pansy demanded to play the winner of the boys' game. They were interrupted a total of four times throughout their journey. The first by Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass who apparently heard that Harry Potter was on the train. All four occupants were unimpressed, having already known, and the two left quickly after that, searching for a group with better reactions than eye rolls and smirks. A kind, plump lady opened their door twice throughout the journey, offering a variety of sweets, and finally, a boy with bright red hair and an upturned nose walked in and instructed them to change into their school robes in a most pompous voice. "Another Weasley. This one seemed to feel he had an inkling of self-importance." Draco commented quietly after the boy had left.

"An inkling, Draco? I'm surprised he managed to get through the door with an ego that large!" Blaise exclaimed, accompanied by raucous laughter. The four children quickly grabbed their smaller carry-on bags before the boys left to change in the restroom and the girls pulled the blinds and began dressing.

The rest of the trip was rather unexciting, the only remarkable event was discovering that some tiny black haired boy had already met the half-giant who called himself Hagrid and had shepherded the first years to the boats. The four of them sat in a boat together, Draco and Blaise employing Crabbe and Goyle to keep other children out, giving them a private ride to the school to discuss all they knew.

"So, Daphne and Theodore didn't know Potter was coming." Draco mused.

"Not to mention, he already knew the giant oaf over there." Blaise said with a condescending nod towards Hagrid.

"My guess is the half-giant took him to get school supplies. Why would Dumbledore trust his gamekeeper to safely escort Potter to and from Diagon Alley?" Hermione asked. While the group knew Potter wasn't raised by purebloods, they would have been introduced by then, they didn't know who had raised him.

"You think he was raised by muggles?" Pansy asked, revulsion evident as her faced pinched at the thought. "I guess that would explain it, although I still don't understand why the headmaster would send him to get Potter. He doesn't appear to be the smartest adult here." Pansy said, watching as Hagrid attempted to life children from their boats without getting anyone wet, leaving the surrounding boats soaked as he stomped around in the shallow edge of the lake. When their boat nudged the edge of the lake, Draco simply raise a hand to Hagrid before stepping out of the boat and onto a nearby rock, Blaise followed before the two of them reached back and handed Hermione and Pansy out of the boot together. Turning around, Draco caught sight of a shivering and soaked Ronald Weasley standing next a shorter, black haired, bespectacled boy Draco had never seen. Ronald was glaring daggers at the group, furious that they had managed to get out of the boat without getting wet; not mention he was slightly jealous of all the attention the small group was receiving due to their grace and poise.

"You alright there Weasley?" Hermione called, noticing his rude and hate filled gaze.

"Shut up, Granger," Weasley sneered back. "You may be happy now, but your parents will be in Azkaban soon enough. They may have convinced the Minister of their innocence, but my family knows the truth. Death eaters!" He cried, his voice carrying over the students and Hagrid watched with untampered surprise and hesitance to step in. As he wasn't a teacher, he wasn't sure what sort of discipline he was allowed to give and as it was, there hadn't been any rules broken. "Your whole family Granger, and you're next. It's disgusting."

Hermione merely rolled her eyes, but Draco seemed to take that comment to heart. "Leave her alone Weasley. If you have a problem, take it to Blaise and I, but you leave the girls out of it. If I remember correctly, Hermione was asking if you were alright, a kindness I wasn't going to bestow upon you." Draco drawled at Weasley, his demeanor remaining calm, betrayed only by the fire in his eyes.

Weasley was about to retort when a new professor joined them. "What is this? You all were supposed to be outside the Great Hall by now. Hagrid what is everyone standing around for? Move it, all of you, up the steps and in to the foyer." A stern looking woman with lips pressed tight and an aura that radiated power. "Now, my name is Professor McGonagall, I am the Deputy Headmistress, the Head of Gryffindor, and professor of Transfiguration. In a minute, I will lead you into the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into one of four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." As she finished speaking, a bell rang out over head and she smiled tightly before saying, "In we go." And pushing open the great big doors into what looked like an ancient ballroom. Four long tables spanned the length of the room with banners depicting what the four children knew to be the house mascots. Gathering at the base of the raised platform that housed the teacher's table, the first years waited for Professor McGonagall to begin the sorting. When "Hannah Abbot" was called first and sorted into Hufflepuff, the group of four lost interest and began surveying the room. Hermione saw Professor Snape among the other teachers and was surprised to find him studying the boy beside Weasley rather intently. Professor Dumbledore also seemed to be giving the boy attention, glancing over every few minutes to observe him. Her musings were interrupted by Professor McGonagall calling her name. Hermione twisted her way through the remaining students before daintily climbing onto the rickety stool.

The hat had barely touched her head before shouting, "Slytherin!" Sending a smirk to her best friends, Hermione climbed off the stool and sat among her fellow snakes, receiving smiles and congratulations as they awaited their next new-be. By the end of the sorting, all four had been sorted to the snakes and began to feast while remarking on the shock that was Harry Potter.

"He didn't look like much, did he?" Pansy asked, rather surprised at Potter's scrawny appearance.  
"No he didn't, although he is apparently already friends with Weasley. He probably hasn't eaten much since their acquaintance." Hermione remarked, watching Weasley practically inhale his food. "It'd be impossible, the boy never stops eating." Draco chuckled in response.

"Come on, we better follow Pucey to the common room, I heard Snape gives a pretty intense speech on the first night each year." Blaise said, bringing an end to the discussion of Harry Potter's rather unimpressive appearance.

* * *

Stepping into the Slytherin common room, all conversations suddenly ceased as the students' attention was caught by the four purebloods. The children were essentially considered pureblood royalty and it was evident. Girls looked on with jealousy as they admired Pansy and Hermione's natural beauty that would only strengthen with age. Boys were envious of their title, wealth, and luck in future spouses. While the families had made no announcements, it was clear to the entire wizarding elite that these four were destined for each other. Looking about the room, Pansy, Blaise, Hermione, and Draco admired the deep green, silver, and black furnishings and accents scattered about. The windows into the Black Lake added shadows that only exemplified darkness of the snake pit. Spying four chairs in the back of the room, Blaise led the way to the private corner, ignoring the looks from their fellow students and walking with his chin held high like his father had always taught him.

The chairs he had picked had two pairs facing each other, with a fireplace on the wall to the left, the common room opening up to the right. It was a secluded spot and the four deemed it a worthy place for homework and relaxation for the rest of the year. They understood that they were powerful enough heirs that when they chose their seats, it would become unspoken law.

The bang of the portrait hole being dramatically opened broke the tense atmosphere and shifted the student's attention from the first years, to their head of house Professor Snape. Snape, like the four children who had entered before him, had the ability to silence a room with simply his presence. The students gathered before him twisted in their seats to find a good place in which to watch him, for his beginning of the year speeches were legendary. Professor Snape surveyed the room briefly, looking for his estranged godson and his friends.

It was a little known fact that Severus Snape was named Draco Malfoy's godfather. While he enjoyed the Malfoy's companionship greatly, he was never one to socialize and therefore rarely visited. It was because of this that Severus knew very little of the boy, only that he had his father's looks, arrogance, and possibly, if rumors were true, his parents' combined magical ability. Shock briefly flitted across his face when he discovered the four first years and seats together in a private alcove. While not entirely unusual, the older years generally pushed first and second years to the floor on the first night of school in order to claim seats for themselves. Obviously his snakes understood and respected the four children far more than he imagined anyone ever would. If he was honest with himself, pureblood politics confused him; another reason he rarely visited the Malfoys, neither Narcissa nor Lucius ever just stated what they meant. Instead they hid behind veiled insults, smirks, and small talk, it was infuriating to say the least.

Clearing his throat, Severus quickly hid his shock and confusion before beginning his speech. "Welcome back students, I expect your summer assignments have been completed. Welcome first years. Every year I begin a speech expressing the importance of propriety in our house, the importance of loyalty to your house, and above all, the importance of intelligence. Slytherines are hated. You will be hated by fellow students from opposite houses, you will be hated by teachers, by future bosses, by future colleagues. No one trusts anyone who comes from Slytherin house and it is because of this that we must ban together. No one can see us sweat. No one can see us cry. We will always be an immovable force, one that can be swayed by petty insults. Slytherines stick together. Furthermore, I expect no less than perfection when comes to propriety. Grades are another matter. I challenge you all to become the best. If people are going to hate you, you might as well give them a reason. Be the best at anything you do, failure is not an option for Slytherines." Severus swept his eyes across the room, attempting to gage the reactions from the students around him. First years looked scared, upper classman looked serious, the four in the back of the room looked unaffected, as if they had predicted as such. A slight sneer graced his face, obviously they didn't understand the gravity of his words, they would learn. "Now, I expect everyone to arrive at every meal on time, in an orderly fashion, and heaven forbid one of you makes a scene in the Great Hall, I have no tolerance for such acts. Tomorrow morning I will pass out your schedules for the first term here at Hogwarts. Until then, rest yourselves, you're going to need it." With one more sweep across the room, Severus turned swiftly on his heel and walked out, robes billowing behind him.

* * *

"Well, that was rather boring." Hermione commented, watching as fellow first years began filing to bed, expressions of fear etched on their faces. While no one particularly enjoyed being told other people would hate you, it wasn't a fact that startled Hermione in the slightest. People had always hated her family for their wealth and power, a situation that could be shared with her best friends. None of them were in any way new to feeling the hatred of others.

"Indeed, I thought it was rather reminiscent of the speech our fathers' gave us a few years ago, the first time we really understood how much the Weasley's hated our families." Pansy said quietly, leaning over to rest her head on Blaise's shoulder. Blaise blushed.

"Hmm, well I'm going to write my father and inform him of the 'unusual' events that have occurred so far with Potter. Draco, can I borrow your owl when I'm done? I'm in no mood to trek all the way up to the owlery." Hermione asked after a few minutes of speculative silence.

"Of course, Artemis is at your disposal whenever you should need her." Draco replied seriously, looking deep into Hermione's eyes, causing her to blush a light pink before making her way to the girl's dorm and gathering her letter parchment, eagle quill, and emerald ink. Rejoining the group, Hermione began writing her letter on the deep brown coffee table between the two sets of wing backed chairs.

 _Granger Manor_

 _1_ _st_ _September 1998_

 _Dear Mum and Daddy,_

 _Draco, Blaise, Pansy, and I made it to Hogwarts perfectly fine and were all sorted into Slytherin, no surprise there! The common room is excellent, the four of us have found a quiet area from which to work, we are currently sitting there now and Draco is reading over my shoulder again like a prat._

Hermione heard Draco huff and suppressed a smirk.

 _Professor Snape's beginning of term speech reminded us all of when Daddy and the Uncles sat us down and explained hate and it's many forms. We didn't hear anything new and will continue our close-ranked relationship._

 _Daddy- In accordance with the conversation we had the night before we left, I have some events the four of us decided were important enough to mention. Harry Potter is a thin boy with broken spectacles and a giant scar, so far he has not shown himself to be anything of great might. He has been swept under Ronald Weasley's wing and was sorted into Gryffindor which will, I have no doubt, lead him to hating the four of us with an unparalleled passion. Another oddity was his previous engagement with the groundkeeper. This particular staff member is a half-giant, we have no proof but it's rather obvious. We concluded that he must have taken Potter school shopping, leading us to believe that he grew up with muggles. His lack of muscle or fat of any kind imply they were not loving. So far, that is all we have seen._

 _We miss you all dearly and have begun counting down the days until winter break when we can be rejoined with you! We love you all,_

 _Hermione, Draco, Pansy, and Blaise_

By the time Hermione had sent her letter off with Draco's owl, the four had agreed that it was time for bed. Rising, Blaise and Pansy walked off towards the dorm staircase, parting ways at the top and entering their respective rooms. Hermione looked at Draco who gave her a small smile before taking her hand in his and bestowing a small kiss upon it. "Good night, Mia. I'll see you in the morning."  
Hermione let out a small sigh before responding, "Good night, Draco," turning and joining Pansy in the world of dreams.


	3. Semester 1

Chapter 3-

As months went by, the foursome excelled in each and every class, with very little in the way of distractions. Hermione had found her second home in the Hogwarts library; while it wasn't nearly as large as her family's and friends' libraries, it was quiet and she could ensure there would be no confrontations with Potter and Weasley while there. That was another development. The four had known that Weasley would hate them, they hadn't accounted for Potter's innate ability to do whatever the red head said. Harry Potter had become convinced all four were evil soul-suckers quite quickly and together, Potter and Weasley attempted to berate and bully Hermione and her friends at every sighting.

In regards to their spying, the only remarkable occurrence had been the break in at Gringotts. While the first break in in history was enough of a story by itself, Draco and Blaise had overheard Potter explaining to Weasley how he had seen the vault earlier that day. Apparently the large oaf, whom the four had deemed utterly worthless, had indeed accompanied potter on his first Diagon Alley visit and had proceeded to give him a tour of Gringotts. Whatever was in the vault that was later robbed had been emptied by the half-giant. Their parents were intrigued by this news but otherwise said nothing, simply returning with letters from individual families, each attached to large boxes of homemade treats.

The lack of noteworthy events occurring in Hogwarts was a blessing in disguise for Hermione, as finals were officially two months away- it was time to start revision. Walking down the stairs from her dormitory, Hermione counted the number of study schedules, making sure she had grabbed them all. She sat down on the edge of her chair, the groups foursome of highbacked chairs had become theirs after their first night – no one else dared to sit there - and observed her three friends who were watching her in return. "I have a study schedule for you all, and don't worry, I took the Quidditch schedule into account so you won't miss anything; although I still believe the sport is a dangerous waste of time." Hermione stated in an aggravated manor.

"Hermione, there are two months before our finals, not even the teachers are worrying about this yet." Blaise said with a role of his eyes, exasperation evident. Draco shot him a glare before grabbing a schedule and pressing a kiss to Hermione's cheek followed by a quick thank you before he returned to his essay for Snape's class. Hermione blushed.

Potions had been an interesting subject for the four that year. While his obvious bias was entertaining, Snape's constant belittling of Potter and anything in red and gold had grown annoying quickly. It was a rarity that the Gryffindors made it out of a class without losing points and being made a spectacle of. Hermione was angered at the amount of time it took away from learning, Draco and Blaise were annoyed at the amount of attention Potter was given whether it be positive or negative, and Pansy truly enjoyed making potions as it reminded her of cooking and Snape's problems were shortening their potions-making time. All in all, the four decided that it was Transfiguration that was their favorite class as Snape never took his eyes off Potter, Quirrell was constantly stuttering and mumbling, Flitwick was annoyingly shrill, and Sprout was constantly dirty and smelled of manure. Therefore, the proper and stern Professor McGonnagol was named the favorite professor and there was nothing better than seeing her face as she regretfully awarded Slytherin house points whenever Hermione answered a question or mastered a skill; which was quite often. It was during one such class when it happened. Hermione had managed to turn her piece of straw into a needle on her first try when she heard Weasley's grumble. "Bloody know-it-all, it's a wonder she has any friends, assuming the other three arses are actual friends and aren't pretending."  
While Weasley's comment wasn't unusual, it hit Hermione's few insecurities. She knew she wasn't as pretty as Pansy, or good at sports and making friends like Draco and Blaise, so she relied on her intelligence. She constantly worried about her friends deciding they didn't need her one day and it was a fear that kept Hermione surrounded by books and constantly proving her intelligence. Hermione knew it was silly, she knew her friends liked her well enough, but that didn't keep Weasley's nastiness from hurting.

Draco, who was seated next to her, growled when he heard Weasley's words and turned to give him a piece of his mind. "Shove off Weasley, we all know you have a crush on Hermione, you don't need to take it out on her, it's not her fault. To be honest, I should be offering her my condolences, seeing as you've tied yourself to her." Draco finished with a sneer, proud of the bright flush traveling down Ron's body, before turning around and attempting to convert his needle once more. Hermione gave a small sniffle, alerting Draco to her distressed state, before raising her hand and asking to use the restroom. Draco waited two minutes, the longest of his life he swears, before quickly requesting the same and darting out of the room.

Sprinting down the hall, Draco catches the whip of robes slipping around the far corner and into the ladies room. Resuming his sprint, Draco charges after her, barging into the room, sneering at the girls present and quickly getting them all to the nearest exit before looking at the girl crouched in the corner, head buried in her arms. Sighing quietly, Draco pulled the beautiful witch into his arms before sitting with her in his lap. Taking her arms, he wound them around his head and simply held her, rocking back and forth. When the tears stopped, Draco asked if Hermione was better enough to stand. Nodding, she shakily rose and grabbed a paper towel from beside the sink. After drying her eyes, she turned to Draco who swept her up into a massive hug, lifting her off her feet. Giggling, Hermione felt a million times better as Draco swung her around in circles. It wasn't until the door slammed open that they realized something was terribly wrong. Hermione gave a heart wrenching scream as she looked up at the disgusting mountain troll standing in the doorway.

The sound reverberated throughout the bathroom, aggravating the troll's sensitive ears and drawing its attention. With a snarl, it whirled its club through the air towards the first years, slicing through bathroom stalls. Draco and Hermione ducked, missing the two by centimeters. Draco quickly pushed Hermione behind him and the two quickly back away from the beast, finding cover behind the few stalls remaining intact. Remembering the charm they learned the day before, Hermione quickly levitated the club out of the trolls hand, while Draco darted out from behind coverage, distracting it. Hermione dropped the club on top of its head, knocking it out. Taking deep breaths, the two surveyed the damaged bathroom before looking at each other. Draco opened his arms and Hermione flew into them, finding comfort in his warmth and presence. It was at this time that Professors McGonnagol, Quirrell, and Snape found them.

Draco made eyecontact with Snape who twitched his head toward the hallway. Guiding Hermione out of the room, ensuring she didn't see the troll again, Draco observed his head of house's obvious limp and Quirrell's disappointment was easily read off his face. The man was an open book. Upon entering the hallway, Draco gave a summary of what happened before ushering Hermione to the hospital wing. Both were covered in scratches and Hermione's arm was bleeding rather profusely from where a shard of wood had pierced her skin.

Draco helped her on to a bed in the infirmary, placing a kiss on her cheek, before laying down on the bed next to her. Laying on his side, he watched as Madame Pomfrey fussed over Hermione, only falling asleep once she had been fully healed and left to rest.

Next: the parents reactions, finals, and winter break plans


End file.
